Monday, September 26, 2011

September 7, 2011

Dearest Family,

Another great week has passed here in East Cleveland. I am almost certain I will be here for another transfer, I'll know by next week. I was hoping to train but I more so wanted to stay in East Cleveland. I have given my heart to this place. I finally dont have to juggle my handle bar in one hand and my GPS in the other, I've got this place down!

I had such an incredible week this week. On monday I have my first ever Mission Conference and we were privilaged to have Elder Marcus B. Nash of the First Quorum of the Seventy come and speak with us. The Mission President called the night before the conference and said that Elder Nash would like to speak with me before the conference! I was so excited, I was chosen with about 5 others to have a personal inteview with him out of about 65 Elders and Sisters! As I waited for my interview the order was that I was very last. My mission President and I had a moment alone and he told me, "I wanted to show Elder Nash the best this mission has to offer!" I asked him who decides on who gest to be interviewed, and he looked at me soberly and said emotionally "Elder Prince, I believe the Lord does". That is how my mission President is, he is so convicted in his faith and so sincere, I truly love the man.

I finally got to sit down with Elder Nash and we both just looked at each other for a few moments. The spirit in the room got so thick and then we began to talk, he asked about my family, and why I was on the mission and I explained to him that I have a great family and the reason I was here is because I felt I was lead here. He just paused and looked at me, this man thought so careffully before he opened his mouth the whole interview and though he was trying to discern with the spirit every thing he wanted to say. He just paused and said "I want you to know that I have an overhwhelming sense of grattitude to be in your presence". He said I know you've been called to Ohio for a reason, and this is a place of "great healing" as he put it. He then read to me the account of when Alma the younger tells his conversion story to his son Helaman, and told me now is my time to labor dilligently in my grattitude to the Lord for all that He has done for me. He said I have very few words for you, but I just want to tell you again I am full of gratitude to be in your presence, you have a great future, walk humbly and work dilligently".

This man has been an area President over South America for years, a mission President a few times, one of the chosen traveling 70 of the Church, to hear Him say this from the spirit was truly humbling for me, it was as if He was discerning the long road I had walked to finally get to our appointment together. He gave us an incredible seminar in which I felt so re-committed to my purpose. I am determinded to find him again one day and explain who I am and what I've become. It is this type of accountability that I wish to have with the Lord, so that when I accomplish anything He has commanded me to do I can hear the words of the spirit whisper "Well done thou good and faithful servant".

Focus seems to be the difference between average and great missionaries, not forgetting where you've been and where you are going. This is why I so deeply enjoy recieveing your words each week as they remind me of all the people who have "taken a chance on me". I know that with the Lord all things are possible. I try to share this with everyone I come in contact with.

We taught an investigator of ours this week the Word of Wisdom, her name is Pam, she is a single mother and she smokes. As we taught her she knew that she had to do this and said she had actually cracked open her alcoholics annonymous book minutes before we came over for the first time in months. I asked her for her ciggerettes after the lesson and she hesistantly gave them over to me. The next day she didn;t come to church and so we went and paid her a visit, she had started to smoke again and said she had over slept. I just told her again that I believed in her and that through calling upon God , anything is possible. I fasted for her yesterday and know that she will be blessed.

I got to go to an air show on Lake Erie with F-16 fighter jets on Labor day with a family in my ward named the Bagleys. This family loves me so much and I them. They are always inviting me over for dinner and bringing food to the apartment. Sis Bagley is from Mexico and loves to feed me and says it his how latinas "show their love"(She is alsotrying to get me to write her little sister in Mexico ;) ha ha.

This week has been really cold in Cleveland, they say that once October hits, I wont see the Sun until April! Cant wait. In all honesty missionary work is the hardest thing I have ever done. I learn more and more how valuable agency is. I read from the teachings of Joseph Smith today and was so filled with the spirit as he spoke of how everyone in the world will be judged according to the law that they have been given, and that we should never doubt the mercy of the Most High God in being the most wise lawgiver.

We work with such a merciful Heavenly Father, I find rest in this knowing that He will be and is so loving to us. We as Latter-day Saints have been given much and so much is required, I'm grateful for the knowldge and the hapiness it brings.! I have to get going, we are going to help an investigator tear off his roof, hopefully it is not to wet and slippery!

Just wanted to share my love and let you all know that God lives, earth is a temporary abode, let us all keep our minds and hears on who we want to be in the final hour! I love you all with all that I am. Jesus is the Christ, don't forget Him!

Love Elder Prince

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Ohio, Cleveland Mission

Elder (Brandon) Prince is my youngest brother, and one of my best friends. He is currently serving a 2 year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Cleveland, Ohio.
Brandon is loved by so many. He is a light in the darkness, and a follower and believer in Jesus Christ.

As his sister, I created this blog to help him correspond with the people who mean the most to him, and to help him devote his time to serving his Father in Heaven.

Those who know Brandon know his strength in the Lord. He opens the book of his life to be a powerful influence for good.

His messages are of progress, hope and solution. They are positive and praisworthy. Because the text found here is of a spiritual nature, I ask all who read to be respectful. No copying or translating will be permitted in any form.

Thank you.

If you would like to send words of encouragement and strength please do so!
Any pictures, stories or kind messages you would like to share can be sent to jessica.prince@hotmail.com